By: Dallin Rahlf

And just like that, as quickly as they came, the holidays are over. Every year is wild that way—we spend months waiting for the end of the year in anticipation of the good times that the holiday season seems to bring. Families come together, people are in a good mood (mostly), there’s fun music and events being played all around town, and it just seems like the great way to end the year. This year way TOUGH, no doubts. The ever annoying COVID has stuck around and spawned a new variant, which was doing its best job to shut down all the airports around the world this last December. Despite that, you’ve fought hard, managed to make it though and pull off another great Christmas, and you can now take your rest. 

Why is it, then, that we sometimes feel the blues after the Christmas season is over? After New Years Day, it seems like the party has stopped and we have to… what? Go back to work?? Go back to school?? Start being way more responsible again?? LAME. Why can’t we just party all the time? Fun as that is, it is good to get back to work and get back into a working routine. That doesn’t stop those feelings from feeling a little down and reminding you that it’s, like, 310 more days until the holiday season starts all over again. If you’re finding yourself in a slump, worry not. There’s tons of things you can do, big and small, to help you start feeling productive and happy. 

Record your thoughts 

My wife has a Master’s degree in Social Work. She’s quite brilliant when it comes to listening and understanding how feelings and emotions work. Most of us have been taught through schooling and media that feeling any emotion negative emotion is weak, and we should ignore it and pay no attention to it and pretend it’s not there. Turns out that’s not super healthy. A healthier tool to manage those sad feelings is to acknowledge them and do something with them. An easy go-to is writing in a journal. The Medical Center at the University of Rochester suggests these tips when it comes to writing in a journal and the health benefits thereof. It’ll help you manage your anxiety and stress, help you learn to prioritize, teach you to meditate while shaping other good habits, just to name a few.

Was this Christmas really stressful and hard? Write about it. Write about everything that was difficult about it. Mourn it, sing a lament about it, then let it go. There’s a great future ahead of you, so don’t let the stress from yesterday determine how you’re going to live today! 

Get artistic 

Turns out art class in second grade was to help encourage you enjoy painting and crafting! I had a RUFF time in art class as a kid. Despite that, I have found that doing some art projects can be relaxing and help me process my thoughts. I love music and poetry, so when I find myself bummed out or stressed, I’ll turn to my guitar or the good ol’ pen and paper and write out whatever I’m feeling. Singing a sad song can help you with your own sad feelings. Appreciating what others have been able to say about what you’re going through is also therapeutic; that’s why you sometimes get emotional during a tender scene in a movie. 

I know the idea or creating art seems like it can add more stress to what you’re already feeling, but the great thing is that it can be as simple as you like. Go buy a coloring book or download one of those apps on your smart device. Coloring in some pictures that are already drawn out is strangely relaxing, and it can build confidence in your artistic ability. Plus. It’s very satisfying to have the hard work done for you already, and all YOU need to decide is what color you want your ladybug resting on a leaf to be. It’s a good day when your big decision is deciding colors of your bug friends. 

Clean the house, keep it clean 

Clutter is a quick and easy way to feel like your house isn’t really a home. Having clutter decorated throughout your living space makes it difficult to clear up your mind. I know it’s annoying—no one likes throwing their clothes on the floor instead of folding them up as much as this guy—but it is incredible how much different my room feels when it’s free of the mess I made. 

If you’re a little like me, you’re likely shooting yourself in the foot when it comes to cleaning the house, so to speak. I would let all the chores pile up until Saturday or Sunday, and then I would go nuts for a good 5 hours cleaning up, which takes a chunk of the day and honestly isn’t that fun. One of the best tips I learned with cooking is to clean as you cook. This way, you don’t have a huge pile of dishes waiting for you after your hard work. Take this tup and use it for all the other chores in your life. Instead of letting your clothes pile up on the floor for the weekend, take a literal 30 seconds to put them in the hamper or hang them up again. Doing these quick, small chores every day will save you TONS of time. 

Keeping the house clean can be a small and simple part of your day that has a massive payback to your mental health and help you get out of the post-holiday blues. Cleaning and decluttering can help you gain a sense of control over you environment, which will lead to less stress and more feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction. 

Don’t let the holidays being over get you down and keep you down. There are tons of resources online to help you out. Get out with the GetOutPass to have some fun, keep your house clean, and take time for yourself. One baby step at a time!